Mumbai: A day after its 25-year-old alliance broke up over differences in seat sharing ahead of October 15 Assembly Elections, Shiv Sena on Friday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party for the separation.
We tried our best to save the alliance for the cause of Maharashtra, said Shiv Sena in an editorial in its official mouthpiece 'Saamna'.
"Our other (Mahayuti) alliance parties wanted the Sena-BJP combine to continue. More than that, it was what the 11 crore people of Maharashtra wanted. Those who trampled these sentiments are enemies of Maharashtra," Sena said.
"This (breaking of alliance) is an insult to the 105 Marathi martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement," the editorial said.
"It is unfortunate that the Sena-BJP alliance which for the last 25 years was bound by the Hindutva ideology has ended," the Sena said.
"We made sincere efforts till the end to ensure that the alliance with BJP and other parties of Mahayuti remained intact," the editorial said.
"It will now be seen what happens next. Whatever goddess Tulja Bhavani proposes will happen. The only expectation is that in all this politics, the mathematics of Maharashtra's future should not get disturbed," it said.
"Those who till yesterday were praying in this tent are now offering namaz in the other tent," it further said.
Referring to Congress minister Narayan Rane's explosive statements two days ago, that the central government was attempting to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and dilute its exalted status as India's commercial capital, the Shiv Sena said Congress need not be concerned about it.
"You don't bother about the status of Mumbai or united Maharashtra... This is now Shiv Sena's responsibility... With the blessings of the late patriarch Bal Thackeray, Goddess Tulja Bhavani and the support of millions of party activists and the people of the state, we shall live up to the expectations," it said.
On the spate of political development which shook the state on Thursday, Shiv Sena said that the New Moon (Amavasya) enveloping the state is now over and the joyful days of 'Navratri' have begun.
"The crows of Pitru Paksh crows have flown away...Now only the warriors (Shiv Sainiks) are left...People will soon experience the difference," the party said.
Maharashtra's another main alliance - the Congress-NCP – also broke up on Thursday over differences in seat sharing.
After snapping off its 25-year-old tie with Shiv Sena, the BJP has now decided to contest the elections with the support of at least three other smaller parties which were part of the erstwhile 'Grand Alliance'.
"We tried out level best till the very last to save the alliance. However, there was no suitable proposal forthcoming from the Shiv Sena on the issue of seat-share which could honourably accommodate all the partners. Hence we have decided to go our independent ways," BJP state president Devendra Fadnavis had told media persons on Thursday.
Top BJP leaders directly accused Sena leadership of being not interested "in anything else except the CM's post" while the Sena hit back by alleging "a secret understanding between BJP and (Sharad Pawar-led) NCP and super-arrogance".
The BJP felt more frustrated as Sena president Uddhav Thackeray left on a day's pilgrimage to Tuljapur Bhavani Temple in Osmanabad district yesterday, even as the deadline for filing nominations loomed large.
However, keeping options open, the BJP said that friendship with Sena will continue forever.
(With Agency inputs)
